Jared Stands in Support of Palestine

I am appalled at the massacre unfolding in Gaza. At the time of writing, 60 Palestinians have been killed and over 2,700 wounded. Several children are among the dead and it was reported this morning that Laila Anwar al-Ghandour, an eight-month-old baby, had died of tear gas inhalation.

I have read horrifying accounts of the dead and wounded from Médecins Sans Frontières. I join the calls condemning these killings. I urge the international community and the UN to swiftly investigate what Amnesty International has said appear to be “willful killings constituting war crimes”.

The slaughter seen in Gaza is the culmination of seven weeks of protests. Protests in recognition of Palestinian’s right to return after they were forcibly expelled following the Nakba (“the catastrophe”) of 1948. These started on March 30th and since then the forces of Israel have killed 109 Palestinians while wounding over 12,000.

The opening of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem meant the already burning injustice felt by all Palestinians became a flaming inferno. President Trump’s decision to move the embassy to the disputed capital has done great damage to the fragile Middle-East peace process. On the global stage, we should all be working towards a harmonious two-state solution. However, the actions of the US and Israel have pushed this goal further out of reach.

It is vital that our Government displays leadership on this issue and unequivocally commends these killings. I call on the Government to do the right thing. Recognise the state of Palestine, and move toward ending the long suffering of Palestinians. The Government must suspend all arms sales to Israel immediately and give due consideration to ceasing the UK arms trade globally.

The killing of unarmed civilians in Gaza is reprehensible and I stand in solidarity with Palestine.